Deal to provide life-saving defibrillators to schools
30 Apr 2014 02:25 PM
The Department for
Education announces a plan to allow schools to purchase defibrillators at a
lower cost.
A deal to allow schools to buy
defibrillator machines at a reduced price will be sealed in time for the autumn
term, the Department for Education (DfE) announced today.
Sudden cardiac arrest can happen
to anyone who may or may not be diagnosed with a cardiac condition. A
defibrillator is a life-saving machine that gives the heart an electric shock
and can make a difference between life and death.
The government is working to
identify a supplier who will offer defibrillators - which cost around
£1,000 - to all schools at a competitive price. DfE has today
also published new statutory guidance and advice for schools on supporting pupils with
medical conditions.
Schools Minister Lord Nash
said:
There is nothing more important
than keeping children safe at school. That is why this government is today
publishing updated guidance to schools on managing children with medical
conditions.
By securing defibrillators at a
reduced price, schools will find it much easier to install these potentially
life-saving devices. We hope schools right across the country will take
advantage of this.
The new draft guidance
follows public consultation earlier in the year and covers a range of
issues, including:
- developing a school policy for
supporting pupils with medical conditions
- the role of individual
healthcare plans
- the roles and responsibilities
of those involved in supporting pupils at school
- staff training and
support
- the administration of medicines
on school premises
- emergency
procedures
Note to
editors
- There is no formal data on the
number of deaths of pupils under the age of 18 in schools, but the Department
of Health estimates around 88 children per year die of sudden cardiac arrest.
There is no data on how many of these occur in schools.
- DfE is working with the
Department of Health to secure a deal with a supplier, and expect this to be
completed over the summer in time for the autumn term.
- The ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical
conditions’ guidance, which includes advice on defibrillators,
will come into effect in September. It will replace current guidance issued in
2005.